Chap. S. e/14 Expofttlo7 upon the Z37okof J O B. Verf. 25. 365 Etory ? Such is the Iaughter here meant. And in the fame feufe, Leviathan the mighciefl of living creatures, that Sea-monfter, (towhom upon the earth there is tot the like, be is made without fear, Chap. 41 2 ;.)is fail too laugh:at the shaking of the fpear(IJob 41. 29) He is fo armd with impenitrable fcales,that (hake afpear at him, he laughs atyou ; it is an allufion to thofe, that are armed with proof, they fear neither (word nor (hot : the truth is, a believer is fh.x free, (hake the (peat at him, shake famine, (bake de ftru&ion at him, threaten himwith this, or with that,hc laughs at all, bccaufe he bath a moor of proof, wherein he may lately tri l ; he bath a shield, a shield of faith, which will quench e- ven the fiery darts of Satan, much more then the leery dangers of, the world. The Hyftoricsof the Primitive Church, are full of this holy laughter and heroical magnanimity of the Saints, grapling with the greateft evils. How did thole renowned Martyrs, even baffle death; and deride their torments (from this principle of faith in Chrifl)conquering them, not fighting them(from a principleof felt-negle&l) When Polycarp was threatned to be torn in pieces with the teeth of wild bea(is, let rhemeome, faith he, andgrind me, I ¡halt makeverygoodbread, fo that thevery tormentors were more tormented with the holy fcorn and laughter of fuffering Chri- flians, than the Chriflians were with the torments which they fuffered. In a Sam. 2. 14, When Abner and jab, the twogreat Çeneraie met, .Abnerfaith unto foab, Let the young men arise and play before us ; the fpott was to fight, and fighting unto death, and yet chefs flout Souldiers being above fear, call it playing ,one with another.; it is the word !acre in the text (let them tome and laugh together before us) As if thofe young. men were of fetch courage, that they could laugh at death, and go to killing onea- nother as if theywere togoplay with oneanother. Surely there is little reafon for such courage ; killing of men is no laughing mat ter, nomatter ofsport; for as Abner Paid unto Joab, not long af- ter (verf. 26.) stall the fword devour for ever, knowft thou. - not, that it will be bitterrel" in the end ? There it little cause to account the beginning of that a (port, which will be bitternefs in the -- eud : But when the Saints are to joyn in the deadlieft battei, or to meet.with thedeadlieft deathfor Ohrifi, or from the chafl- ning handofChrift,theyhave reafon'enough toaccount it a fporr, and to laugh at..deftruffion (in this fenfe cleared) becaufe they know 1
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